MATCH PREVIEW V MIDDLESBROUGH

8 December 2017

Jacob Henderson

A look at this weekend’s clash as Town take on Boro at the Riverside Stadium

Current standingsGarry Monk’s Middlesbrough dropped to ninth after losing three of their last four games and are now six points adrift of the Play-Off places. Town sit seventh following back-to-back victories, three points behind Derby in sixth, and have lost just once in their last five.

Last time we met: Boro 0-0 Town 23.04.16 Middlesbrough missed the chance to go top of the Championship when the two sides last met in April 2016. A draw at the Riverside also ended Blues’ Play-Off hopes for the season, while Boro secured their 22nd clean sheet of the season following the stalemate. Town shot-stopper Bartosz Bialkowski made impressive saves to deny Stewart Downing and former Blue Jordan Rhodes in the first-half, with Rhodes also going close to breaking the deadlock after the restart but striking the inside of the post.

One to watch: Britt Assombalonga The Zaire-born striker has 11 League goals this season, including what turned out to be a consolation away to Leeds last month. Assombalonga boasts a 56 per cent shot accuracy and has scored eight more goals than Boro’s next top scorer (Martin Braithwaite).

Could be the difference: Set-pieces Middlesbrough have scored just one set-piece goal at the Riverside this season, while Mick McCarthy’s Town have scored five in their away games this term. Expect dead ball situations to be key on Saturday.